This is the journey of Bret Leuthner, aspiring sportscaster and soon to be cancer survivor

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Sun., July 18...last day before the "next" of my life

My day started off normally enough. Wake up with my wife, have some breakfast, and start prepping for the Sky Blue FC game I am to webcast that night. First off, let me tell you I LOVE sportscasting! Play-by-play seems to be the frontrunner for me. And I also seem to love broadcasting soccer. Just got done with a Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues assignment for the season, and now it's on the Sky Blue FC. So needless to say, I'm very excited to get to Yurcak! (that's on the Rutgers campus for those that don't know)!

Leave my house at 3:30 to get there for 5. Get in and meet up with John Archibald (always good to see him). Explain to him what was to come, but also let him know all will be fine! Set up the gear, do sound checks, and wait for game time. Eventually the rest of the broadast team show up...Erik Studnicky, my color commentator for the game, Neal (who was producer for the evening), 2 cameramen, an intern...nice sized staff! No Dennis Wilson as he is in rehab recovering from surgery.

Game goes off brilliantly! Nearly 200 hits on a game with no lead up promo! Chat was alive, too! Dennis called in to say he was VERY happy! Says we're better than anything ESPN has (that's a stretch) SBFC pleased as well, which is a big bonus!

Go down to the field, get to see Gloria Averbuch from SBFC again (she's still busy as ever!), interview Eniola Aluko (she got the lone goal), got to talk a bit with Hope Solo (she's still great to talk to, even for 2-3 minutes), then Tasha Kai and Kacey White as well (also great to talk to). Let Tasha and Kacey know what's going on...and both gave much support for me! Archibald comments that it was like a high school reunion for me!

No going to Charlie Brown's Restaurant, though...I've got a standing commitment at Charlie Brown's...that being my friend Jason...at his house. It's going to be buzz-cut night. I've decided to go military style and trim down to virtual baldness rather than see my hair clump out in a shower! I arrive to see another friend, Juan, there as well. Apparently another friend Sean is arriving on the scene, too. So it seems that they're getting their heads shaved in support of my fight.And all the wives are there, too...Adina, Joanne, CJ...Stacey was the only one that couldn't make it! I'm speechless! But on with the shaving!

After much artwork by Jason on all of us, we all pose for a picture. Later on, we find out that Chris Blackman also shaved his dome in support. Dang I got some great people in my life!

With that, it's off to home. And 40 minutes later, I'm finally back and ready for bed. Adina like the new 'do!